Rocket Power Boosts Pandas Past Smokies, 5-4
MADISON, Alabama – The Rocket City Trash Pandas jumped out to an early lead and got another brilliant performance from the bullpen for a 5-4 win in front of an electric crowd of 6,168 at Toyota Field on Saturday night. The win puts the Trash Pandas at five games above
MADISON, Alabama – The Rocket City Trash Pandas jumped out to an early lead and got another brilliant performance from the bullpen for a 5-4 win in front of an electric crowd of 6,168 at Toyota Field on Saturday night.
The win puts the Trash Pandas at five games above .500 for the first time at 53-48. Coupled with Montgomery’s loss, the Trash Pandas are only a half-game behind the Biscuits for the second and final playoff spot in Double-A South. The win also keeps the Trash Pandas in first place in the North Division.
The Trash Pandas’ bats got to work early. Ray-Patrick Didder reached with a one-out single in the first and promptly recorded his 16th stolen base of the year. Orlando Martinez then walked. With the runners in motion, David MacKinnon laced his league-leading 30th double of the season into the left field corner for a 2-0 Trash Pandas advantage.
An inning later, Torii Hunter Jr. crushed the 2-1 pitch from Tennessee starter Dakota Chalmers 377 feet over the left field fence for a solo home run, his seventh of the season and first since July 27, to extend the lead to three.
In the fourth, Martinez drew a walk to lead off the inning. MacKinnon followed with a blistering two-run blast that left his bat at 108 miles per hour and traveled 407 feet to left for a 5-0 Rocket City lead.
Pitching with the lead from the second inning on, Rocket City starter Cristopher Molina was sharp, with the help of his defense. In the third, he picked Delvin Zinn off first. With Zinn in a rundown, first baseman Mitch Nay missed the tag as Zinn was going back to first. But Rocket City catcher Michael Cruz alertly covered the base and was able to receive Nay’s throw and tag the runner for a crucial second out.
Tennessee eventually got a run off Molina in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Grayson Byrd. Christopher Morel made it a one-run game in the fifth with a three-run homer to left before Molina retired Brennen Davis to get through the inning with the lead still intact.
Molina returned to the mound in the sixth and worked into trouble as Byrd singled and Bradlee Beesley was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. Molina rebounded to strike out Tim Susnara to end his start. Luke Leftwich entered in relief and held the 5-4 lead by getting a fielder’s choice from Caleb Knight.
Over 5.2 innings, Molina (W, 5-1) gave up four earned runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts to earn the victory, his fourth in a row and fifth of the season.
Leftwich remained on the mound for the seventh and retired the Smokies in order.
Adrian Almeida was called on for the eighth inning and immediately issued a four-pitch walk to Brennen Davis. But the flame-throwing southpaw rebounded to strike out the side, including a 100 mile-per-hour fastball past Bradlee Beesley to strand the tying run at second to end the inning.
In the ninth, Kolton Ingram (S, 4) allowed a one-out single to put the the run on base. The new Trash Pandas closer got out of it by inducing a double play from Zinn to end the game and earn his second save in as many nights.
At the plate, MacKinnon led the way by going 2-for-4 with a double, home run, and four RBI. Martinez walked twice and scored two of the Trash Pandas’ five runs. Over the first three games of the series, the Trash Pandas bullpen has pitched 8.1 scoreless innings.
Rocket City (53-48) and Tennessee (42-56) wrap up their series on Sunday afternoon with a 2:35 p.m. matchup at Toyota Field. Josh Caray will be on the call for 103.9 FM THE UMP and 730 AM SportsRadio. The game will be televised locally on WAAY-31.6, This TV.
MiLB podcast previews Futures Game, MLB Draft
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Podcast: New Erie identity, new ballparks, new Top 100
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
How clubs across Minor League Baseball are celebrating PLAY BALL Weekend
PLAY BALL Weekend is almost here, and Minor League clubs have put together an exciting calendar of events to celebrate MLB’s youth engagement initiative. Some clubs are hosting youth clinics or other events in their home ballparks while others are bringing the joy of baseball and softball into the local
Here are the weirdest plays and stats from MiLB in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Podcast features first-base promotions for Caglianone, Eldridge
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Cubs' Rojas, Mets' Tong headline May's Minor League Players of the Month
Minor League Baseball announced the Player and Pitcher of the Month Award winners for May in Major League Baseball’s player development system.
Minor League Baseball, Joe Torre Safe At Home partnership enters ninth year
For the ninth year, Minor League Baseball and Joe Torre Safe At Home have teamed up to raise awareness about violence and abuse and to inspire fans of all ages to join them in SAH’s critical work. This year, 63 MiLB teams will participate in an in-ballpark initiative from May
MiLB podcast discusses Anthony, Caglianone at Triple-A
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
These are the greatest Minor League promos happening in June
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
New playoff format coming to 2025 Dominican Summer League
Minor League Baseball announced the 2025 Dominican Summer League (DSL) season will begin June 2 with Opening Day festivities taking place at the Boston Red Sox Academy in Guerra. The 2025 campaign will also see the introduction of the DSL Cup, a new playoff format that will see 16 DSL
Debating best Minor League home caps on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most